Acquiring Human Resource for a Sino American Joint Venture - Research Proposal Example

Order 161930 Dissertation Proposal. TOPIC: Acquiring Human Resource for a Sino-American joint venture Introduction Background Information Organizational productivity and resultant efficiency depends so much on who handles some or most of the tasks within the organization, (Human Capital). This becomes even more complex, when such an organization is spread across borders and even continents. The onset of globalization saw many economies deregulate and breaking their organization cultures to accommodate and adapt to foreign practices that would make them competitive and survive the onslaught of existing companies. An American company opening business in China could consider a number of aspects to get a foothold in business. Influence to more international maybe as sure of many opportunities opened up by vast markets, which result from unique political, economic& cultural environment in China. Any foreign company could need to rethink its approach in managing employees and the organization as a whole. This will evidently call for management training Programmes regarding personnel in China especially on cross-border corporations and joint ventures. Against this background, formation of joint ventures in China calls for adaptability, and management of change. These will and bring about improved performance by thawing any foreseeable resistance, withholding crucial information and claiming responsibility for the managerial decision and action taken by personnel. The United States of America is a capitalist economy whose strategic orientations calls for "let the best man win and put you money when your mouth is" perspective. This indeed may not be an appealing view for a Chinese socialist oriented economic attitude. Therefore setting up business of a joint venture system in china calls for a great understanding of the intricacies involved. Other experts call this environmental scanning while the researcher now feels it is appropriate to term it as regional or global scanning. A Sino American comparative analysis type of study will form the basis for the ensuing research on variables that will include adaptability to environmental factors, human resource management adjustments in the nature of personnel training, development , strategic thinking , horizons etc 2. Research objectives and Questions. The primary objectives for this study shall be To focus on the influences of both internal and external forces on joint ventures established in China. To identify the ways in which adaptation is done for succeeding in such ventures. To evaluate the essence of training and development in success in joint venture business. To determine the competitive advantages China offers to such joint ventures. Some specific research questions for this study include; Why is Chinese culture and orientation important Why is training and development critical for success among joint ventures How does competitive advantage and adaptation assume significance Which internal and external influences affect joint venture systems in global market What complexities exist in Chinese based joint venture What are the likely ways in which to alleviate such complexities. 3. Reviewing previous literature There are different sources of data, i.e. primary and secondary. However, it may not be appropriate to assume that the other experts have not positively contributed into the pool knowledge of in this area. To refer and borrow from scholars on Chinese management issues, publications by journals and texts regarding such operations by joint ventures form a critical basis for argumenting ideas available to support any ideas made. There has been a notion regarding paucity of studies on management in China. Academicians have focused on human resource practices in general, which seem shallow (Verna & Yan 1995, Tsung, 1994, Ding, Fields and Akhtar, 1997). Change, management & adaptation : On managing change and ensuring adaptability the (economist, 1991) when China was in a modernization phrase, China attracted industrial foreign investment, and by 1995 China was the second largest recipient of foreign investment after USA with 42% shall all foreign investment in Asia. (Business report 1996) Of particular interest to global papers setting business in China should be China's management reforms and their implications, performance of existing involved firms, changes in organizational behavior (Wedley, 1992), also adds that new marketing and financial management practices have made China a grand economy that one cannot afford to ignore. Training and developing personnel Chinese diary (1998) claimed record of accelerated reform on personnel systems. There was lack of qualified personnel was cited as a major source of discomfort C Benson; 1996. This has now changed as the Chinese have shown soaring interests in other economies of the world. Their instinct adherence to culture has seen many corporate players incorporate and trying to embrace the virtues of the rich Chinese culture. The dearth of managerial competence in China can partly be attributed to the mode of industrialization. The Chinese system is more bureaucratic rather than market led the skills managers are more relevant to coping with the bureaucracy, then managing the modern; competitive economic environment. Shortage of good quality institutions to train managers is a barrier and management development (Borgonjon and Van honacker 1994), there has been considerate progress in industrialization and the questionable status of the role of management in the Chinese society. This highlighted the necessity for the introduction of a wider training and development strategy to meet the demands of economic growth and requirement of a changing society. China has had rapid economic reforms over the past few years. (China statistical Yearbook 2004) creating huge potential of marked size becoming more market based, and her inherent attractiveness to transnational corporations. Creating a competitive edge: Competing with other corporation requires an organization to set its goals straight. American businesses are fueled purely by the fact that USA has the global advantage of great capacity to produce excellent entrepreneurs. However (Hofer & Schended (1978) stress that performance is a function of both management controllable factors and management uncontrollable factors. Which could either be internal/external influences These are complemented by Donaldson; 1995 who argues that success is contingent on a set of factors that are different environments or stages of a life cycle but also development of emphasis o competitive external environment. Michael Porter (1979) stresses on how competitive forces shape strategy. He groups his analyses into five; viz, Value chain, strategic groups (sets), generic strategies of cost leadership, differentiation and focus, market positioning strategies of variety based, need based and access based market positions. China has strengthened a competitive definition or differentiation and market positioning or variety and access based positions. 4) Methodology of study 4.1 Scope of research: The scope of the ensuing research shall be on the major complexities involved in a Chinese-American joint venture and what forces contribute to maximizing the benefits accruing to a joint venture of this type. Most of the variables shall be studied in the American and Chinese context with main emphasis on China as it is the base for this joint venture: these include cultural aspects, training and development, adaptability and inherent environmental benefits. 4.2 Research methods; from the secondary sources, research shall employ content analyses of the base, to form basis for theoretical frame. 4.2.1 Qualitative Research Secondary sources; this will be done through studying existing case studies of companies with already existing joint business systems from business journals (China business, (The Economist). Such literature shall augment the comparative theoretical analyses. 4.3.2 Significance of the study After completing the study, knowledge shall be gained by various parties, potential business persons interested in opening up enterprises outside resident's countries. Besides scholars planning to carry out further studies could base their discussions on this work. Academician may use the findings of this work to develop theories to build in for joint venture systems not only in China but other regions. Insights from comparative studies (reviews) shall form strong ground to evaluate performance and business success based especially on the contributions of Human capital (Resources). Hypothesis and Expectations of Study Success in joint ventures critically depends on a good understanding of the culture, adaptability and creating competitive edge in the years of operations. The case of china is special as much research focusing on joint ventures has not been done. My hypothesis is that a Sino American joint venture based in china shall flourish if the human resource aspect is well addressed. References. 1. Michael E. Porter, March 2001 strategy and the Internet. Harvard Business Review,, PP.62-78 2. Noel Yee-Man Siu & Rodger Darby, Management Development Practices in a Foreign Joint Venture in China. 3. Dowling, P.J., Schuler, R.S. & Welch, D. (1994) International, Dimensions of Human Resource Management. Second edition. Belmont, California: Wadsworth 4. Mendenhall, M. & Oddou, G. (1991). Readings and Cases in International Human Resource Management. Boston: PWS-Ken 5. Boddy, D., (1980), An Action Learning Programme for Supervisors, Human Resources Development, Vol. 4. No. 3. 6. Dixon,N.M., (1991), Helping US Human Resource Professionals into Action Learning in Pedler, M. Action Learning in Practice, 2nd Edition, Gower, Alders hot, UK. 7. Mumford, A. (1991), Learning in Action, Personnel Management. 8. Mumford, A. (1993), How Managers can Develop Managers, Gower, Alders hot, UK. 9. Reid, M., (1994), Action Learning: a Set within a Set, Training and Management Development Methods 10. Iles P.;Yolles M. 2002, International Journal of Human Resource Management, Rutledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group 11. Marquardt, M. J. & Engel, D. (1993). Global Human Resource Development, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. 12. Gilley, J. W. (1989). Principles of Human Resource Development Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley 13. Swanson, R. A. & Holton, E. F. (1997). Human Resource Development Research Handbook,San Francisco: Barrett-Koehler. 14. INTERNATIONAL JOINT VENTURES, Organization Science, Vol. 9, No. 4, July-August, 1998 15. Brelade, S. (2000); Using human resources to put knowledge to work, Knowledge Management Review. 16. Bjorkman, I. & Lu, Y. (1997). Human Resource Management Practices in Foreign Invested Enterprises in China: What Has Been Learned Advances in Chinese Industrial Studies 16. Tsang, E. W. K. (1994). Human Resource Management Problems in Sino-foreign Joint Ventures, International Journal of Manpower. 17. Wang, Z. M. (1990). Human Resource Management in China: Recent trends in Human Resource Management: An International Comparison (eds), R. Pieper. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. 18. Zhu, C. J. H. (1997). Human Resource Development in China During the Transition to a New Economic System, Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources 19. Ding, D., Fields, D. & Akhtar, S. (1997). An Empirical Study of Human Resource Management Policies and Practices in Foreign-invested Enterprises in China: the Case of Shenzen Special Economic Zone, The International Journal of Human Resource Management. 20. Chen, D. (1988). Chinese Models of Economic Development and Their Implications for Management Training, China Information Read More